Range for strains 
100 and 101 bicolor. 
Bicolor lespedeza 
Bicolor is now the most common of 
the shrub lespedezas. Because it has 
been planted more than the others 
we know more about its care and its 
use by bobwhite quail. But ordinary 
bicolor won’t grow in all the quail 
country. So biologists and plant spe- 
cialists have been developing other 
strains. Some extend the range of bi- 
color (see maps on this page) ; others 
make more seeds or hold them better. 
Strain 100 bicolor has the same 
range as ordinary bicolor, but it yields 
more seeds. Most of them ripen by 
October 15 and all by November 1. 
This strain holds some of its seeds to 
midwinter. 
Strain 101 is the most vigorous of all 
strains, produces the highest seed 
yields, and holds its seeds longest. But 
its seeds ripen a few days later. For 
this reason it can’t be used quite so 
far north as strain 100 and ordinary 
bicolor. 
Natob, another strain of bicolor 
lespedeza, can be grown farther north 
because its seeds ripen earlier than 
those of the other shrub lespedezas. 
Also, its stems are winter hardy. 
Natob is the only shrub lespedeza that 
can be recommended where frost can 
4 
be expected before September 20. Its 
seed yield is only moderate (350 
pounds or less per acre) in most parts 
of this recommended area. South of 
this area, yields are still smaller, and 
the plants often fail to set seed south- 
ward from Virginia, Kentucky, and 
Missouri. A strain producing more 
seed is needed. 
Japonica lespedeza 
Selected strains of japonica have 
now been developed which equal the 
best bicolor lespedezas in seed yield. 
Their vigor is satisfactory, and the 
ripening of their seeds is assured by 
September 25 in the adapted area. 
Another of their good traits is that 
the woody stems die back to the ground 
every winter. ‘Thus, you do not have 
to cut them back to the ground each 
year or two as you do bicolor in the 
South. On the other hand, this trait 
prevents their success farther north 
because the dying back of the stems 
delays blooming and ripening from 7 
to 10 days. 
Other shrub lespedezas 
Other shrub lespedezas have been 
tried but none so far shows much 
Range for natob. 
